After previous iterations of the group – the Polka Tulk Blues Band and Earth – the band settled on the name Black Sabbath in 1969. They distinguished themselves through occult themes with horror-inspired lyrics and down-tuned guitars. Signing to Philips Records in November 1969, they released their first single, "Evil Woman", in January 1970, and their debut album, Black Sabbath, was released the following month. Though it received a negative critical response, the album was a commercial success, leading to a follow-up record, Paranoid, later that year. The band's popularity grew, and by 1973's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, critics were starting to respond favourably.
Osbourne's excessive substance abuse led to his firing in 1979. He was replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Following two albums with Dio, Black Sabbath endured many personnel changes in the 1980s and 1990s that included vocalists Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen and Tony Martin, as well as several drummers and bassists. Martin, who replaced Gillan in 1987, was the second-longest serving vocalist and recorded three albums with Black Sabbath before his dismissal in 1991. That same year, Iommi and Butler were rejoined by Dio and drummer Vinny Appice to record Dehumanizer (1992). After two more studio albums with Martin, who replaced Dio in 1993, the band's original line-up reunited in 1997 and released a live album, Reunion, the following year; they continued to tour occasionally until 2005. Other than various back catalogue reissues and compilation albums, as well as the Mob Rules-era line-up reunited as Heaven & Hell, there was no further activity under the Black Sabbath until 2011 with the release of their final studio album and 19th overall, 13, in 2013, which features all of the original members except Ward. During their farewell tour, the band played their final concert in their home city of Birmingham on 4 February 2017. Occasional partial reunions have happened since, most recently when Osbourne and Iommi performed together at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Black Sabbath have sold over 70 million records worldwide as of 2013, making them one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands. Black Sabbath, together with Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were ranked by MTV as the "Greatest Metal Band of All Time" and placed second on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" list. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number 85 on their "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. They have also won two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance, and in 2019 the band were presented a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath
Studio albums
Black Sabbath (1970)
Paranoid (1970)
Master of Reality (1971)
Vol. 4 (1972)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Sabotage (1975)
Technical Ecstasy (1976)
Never Say Die! (1978)
Heaven and Hell (1980)
Mob Rules (1981)
Born Again (1983)
Seventh Star (1986)
The Eternal Idol (1987)
Headless Cross (1989)
Tyr (1990)
Dehumanizer (1992)
Cross Purposes (1994)
Forbidden (1995)
13 (2013)
black moon
Black Sabbath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He cries and my blood runs cold.
Oh no never was the darkness so black,
No light and nowhere to go.
My spirit is crying for a love
So tired of being alone.
I remember He came here to steal,
I see a Black Moon rising,
And it's calling out my name.
Oh it's calling my name.
I've been blinded, lost and confused,
Darkness will call me no more.
Heaven is no friend of mine,
No god ever knocked on my door.
I see a Black Moon rising,
And it's calling out my name.
Oh it's calling my name.
I'm standing on the dark side of time
Reaching for the power of Her hand.
She's weaving an unholy light
And calls from Lucifer's land.
I see a Black Moon rising,
And it's calling out my name.
An angel of Hell is rising,
Heaven's no friend of mine.
I see a Black Moon rising,
And it's calling out my name,
I see a Black Moon rising,
And it causes so much pain.
An angel of Hell is rising,
Heaven's no friend of mine.
I see a Black Moon rising,
And it's calling out my name.
It's calling my name,
This spirit's crying for love.
Heaven's no friend of mine.
The song "Black Moon" by Black Sabbath/Tony Martin is a dark and moody tune that paints a picture of a person who is lost, confused, and searching for some sort of connection to something greater than themselves. The lyrics suggest that this person has been through some tough times and is grappling with some inner demons. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the devil is rising with the moon and the singer's spirit is crying for love. The darkness is all-encompassing, and there seems to be no way out.
The second verse suggests that this person has experienced some kind of betrayal. It is unclear who the "He" is that came here to steal, but the singer seems to be blaming someone else for their current predicament. The chorus brings in the Black Moon, which is rising and calling out the singer's name. This is a powerful and ominous image that underscores the sense of foreboding that permeates the song.
The final verse brings in the idea that there may be some sort of salvation for the singer. They are reaching out for the power of someone's hand, and they are being called from Lucifer's land. It is unclear who this person is or what their intentions are, but the fact that they are associated with Lucifer suggests that they are not entirely trustworthy. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that they are in pain, and that heaven is no friend of theirs.
Overall, "Black Moon" is a haunting and eerie song that touches on themes of betrayal, isolation, and existential despair. It is a powerful reminder of the darker aspects of the human psyche and the ways in which we all grapple with our demons.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the devil is rising with the moon
The singer feels the presence of the devil as he sees the moon rising, which induces fear and sends shivers down his spine.
He cries and my blood runs cold.
The devil's cry scares the singer to death, making his blood run cold.
Oh no never was the darkness so black,
The darkness that the singer sees is so deep and intense that he has never experienced it before.
No light and nowhere to go.
The darkness is all around, and the artist feels trapped with no sign of a way out or any help.
My spirit is crying for a love
The artist's soul yearns for a loving companionship, which he feels he has never received.
So tired of being alone.
The singer is tired of being lonely and desires someone to understand and stand by him.
I remember He came here to steal,
The devil came and stole something from the singer's life, leaving him empty and broken.
And You are His stealer of souls.
The artist blames someone else for his loss, believing that the person is working for the devil to destroy his soul.
I see a Black Moon rising,
The artist sees the black moon rising again, symbolizing the devil's presence and evil taking control.
And it's calling out my name.
The artist feels summoned by the black moon, which he interprets as a call to join the devil's side.
Oh it's calling my name.
The singer emphasizes the intensity of the call, as he hears it so vividly that it seems like the name called out is his own.
I've been blinded, lost and confused,
The artist recalls a time of turmoil, where he felt lost and confused, unable to see or find his way out.
Darkness will call me no more.
The singer states that he will not succumb to the darkness any longer and will not answer the devil's summon ever again.
Heaven is no friend of mine,
The singer's negative experiences with life have led him to believe that heaven, or anything pure and holy, cannot aid or assist him.
No god ever knocked on my door.
The singer expresses his disappointment with life, as he feels that no divine being ever showed him kindness, or helped him deal with his troubles.
I'm standing on the dark side of time
The artist finds himself in a moment of darkness, where everything appears bleak and hopeless.
Reaching for the power of Her hand.
The artist looks for someone powerful, symbolized as 'Her,' to provide him with a solution or way out of his struggles.
She's weaving an unholy light
The singer feels like the solution offered by 'Her' is unholy and may come with additional risks or negative consequences.
And calls from Lucifer's land.
The solution being offered seems to originate from a place of evil, which is represented by Lucifer's land.
An angel of Hell is rising,
The artist senses that an evil angel is about to emerge and cause chaos, symbolizing the devil's growing power.
Heaven's no friend of mine.
The artist remains skeptical of divine intervention, as he feels let down by life and disbelieves in the existence of anything pure or holy.
And it causes so much pain.
The increasing power of evil and sense of foreboding causes the artist great distress and mental agony.
It's calling my name,
The singer's true dread is that he continues to feel the pull of evil, which he interprets as a call to join the devil's side.
This spirit's crying for love.
The artist's soul remains in turmoil, crying out for love, companionship, and guidance.
Heaven's no friend of mine.
The singer reiterates that divine intervention or anything pure and holy cannot help him in his current situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTHONY PHILIP HARFORD, COZY POWELL, GEOFFREY NICHOLLS, TONY IOMMI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Benny Jennings
Awesome tune and video! Thanks!
A National Acrobat
Thanks man!
CW Blackistonio
💯
Saint Lucifer
Thanks Again, Acrobat!